About your visit
We have examined you and we have ascertained that you have injured or broken one or more fingers. Depending on the injury, we have treated you with:
☐ A bandage to secure your fingers to the fingers next to them.
☐ A splint with Velcro closure.
☐ A cast.
Expect to wear the bandage, splint or cast for ___ weeks.
Then the bandage, cast or splint will be removed by:
☐ Yourself.
☐ Your general practitioner.
☐ At a check-up at the hospital.
When you get home
Do not use your hand for two days
Do not use your hand for the first two days after the injury.
Your fingers may swell and become discoloured
It is normal for your fingers to swell or become discoloured. This is due to harmless bleeding under the skin, which will stop on its own.
Use an ice compress
You can prepare an ice compress and place it on the swollen area or where you are experiencing pain. Wrap a bag of ice in a tea towel, for example, to avoid direct contact with your skin. Use a compress 3-5 times a day for 15-20 minutes. This will relieve the pain and swelling in your fingers.
Take pain-relieving medicine if you are in pain
You should take pain-relieving medicine if you are in pain. Pain-relieving medicine can be bought over the counter. Take only the amount of pain reliever recommended on the package. Contact your general practitioner if you need help managing the pain.
Protect your hand when bathing/showering
We recommend that you cover your hand with a plastic bag when bathing/showering. Make sure the top of the bag is tightly sealed to avoid getting the dressing or bandage wet.
Do not wear jewellery on the injured hand
Avoid wearing rings on the injured hand as your fingers may swell.
Prevent swelling
To keep your hand from swelling, keep it level with your heart. Rest your arm on a pillow, for example, when you are sitting down.
Use your hand, even though it is in a bandage
After the first two days, use your hand every day, even though it is in a bandage. This is to maintain as much strength and mobility in your fingers as possible and to prevent swelling. Clench and stretch your fingers, and spread your fingers and bring them together.
Check-ups if necessary
If we judge that you need to come in for a check-up, you will be called in digitally or by physical letter. At the check-up, we will discuss rehabilitation and what to do next.
If your condition deteriorates before your check-up, do not wait, contact your general practitioner. If your condition deteriorates acutely, dial 1813 to reach the medical helpline.
Exercises
Rehabilitation
Start doing the exercises when your bandage has been removed. These exercises will help you regain mobility faster.
Complete the exercises four to five times a day and repeat each exercise 15 times. Relax your shoulders and keep an easy pace.
If your fingers begin to hurt while doing the exercises, take a 30 minute break and then continue doing the exercises.
Exercise 1
- Stretch your fingers.
- Slowly make a fist by first bending the joints closest to the fingertip, then the middle joints and finally the joints at the base of your fingers.
- Release the fist and stretch out your fingers.